The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-10-27
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
A CASE OF MURDER.
An Episode OF Gen. Shcrman's Campaign ThrOugl
the laraliuaS.

FDrToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: There was an
episode in SherInan's Carolina campaign that
have never seen in print. would like to place
IL in the catch alb of THE NATIONAL IRtB-
UNE and ask fanny comrade can supply fuller
particulars. Gen w. i Wards Division (Ihirdl,
of the Twentieth Corps, was ordered TO
cross tho Savannah River into South Carolina
on Dec 81, 1864. Ii crossed TO hutchinson
Island on pontoan bridge, which had been
laid and abandoned by the rebels, but on at
tempting 10 lay poutoon across the eastern
channel il was found that there were not boats
enough. The division endured the discomfort
of a bivouac in the mud on the swampy island
during an all-day's drizzling rain, and then
marched lack 10 Savannah On New Years
Day OF 1866 the First Brigade commanded by
Col. Ben. Harrison, of the 10th lnd.,) crossed
on scows AND FLATBoATs,
followed the next day by the Second Brigade
Col Dan Dustin's) IN the same manner. The
ponto0n bridge WAS not completed so that
wagon trains could cross until Jan. 5.
On Jan rs occurred a remarkable rise inrthe
Savannah River of over 10 feet and from the
18th TO the oath il mined constantly, flooding
Hutchinsons Island and the swamp on the
South Carolina shore. A part of the Tween
tieth Corps train got caught in the flood on the
Island and 80 wagons were swept away and
over 200 mules drowned. Gen. Williams First
Division had also crossed before the flood, but
Goary's tSecondD Division, having been as
signed TO provost duty in the city, was detained
Intil unable 10 cross. Geary was therefore
ordered 10 march up the west side of the river
with the Fourteenth Corps and cross at Sisters
Ferry, about 40 miles above Savannah. On the
east side in the meantime the First Division
had beeu advanced 10 Robertyille, covering
Sisters Ferry, and the Third Division (Ward)
had occupied Vaudeville, on the Charleston d
Savannah Railroad, and PurysburG, on the
river
On Jan. 20 we moved from Purysburg and
Joined the First Division at Robertville,
small hamlet on the road leading from Sisters
Ferry. on the Savannah River TO Branchville,
and about five miles from the former place.
The road from Robertville TO the river crosses
Black Swamp. there more than three miles
wide, and at that time
UNUSUALLY FULL OF WATER
from the great food in the river. The turn
pike, even was overlooked in places, and all
saturated aud soft, so as to be impossible unless
"corduroyed." The Fourteenth Corps and
Geary's Division. of the Twentieth Corps, had
10 remain on the Georgia side of Sisters Ferry
until this road could be cordurOyed. As soon
as it could be made passalle for empty wagons,
the trains of the two divisions at Robertvile
were sent TO the river TO receive their stores,
sent to the Ferry from Savannah by steamers,
and Selfridge's Brigade, of the First Division,
accompanied them as escort.
This was on the LIST of February Before
night orders were received for the remainder
of the iOFces at Robertville TO march at day
light for Beaufort's Bridge. on the Salkehatchie
where Hardee had made a stand and trouble
was anticipated. i had gone with the Third
Division trains TO Sisters Ferry to receive
cOmmissary stores, and the sudden move of the
division left Us there with orders TO wait I'M
I'll Gen. Geary should cross and 20 forward
under escort of his division. We did not leave
the river until the afternoon of the 4th of
February and then were all night getting
through Black Swamp. We finally overlook
the balance of the corps on the 9th, just as IT
was approaching Blaclville.
Now for the incident I set out TO tell. We
camped the second night about five miles north
Of Robertvile. About dusk a negro came into
camp aud informed the writer, whom he first
met, that three Union soldiers
had BEEN KILLED
near there when our first column had gone
through, aud were still lying unbured. lie
said that the soldiers had gone TO the residence
OF a man by the name of Tom Trowell and
asked for something TO eat While they were
there party of 10 of Wheeler's cavalry came
in sight The boys saw them, and, begging
Trowel not TO betray them, started from the
back of the house into the woods. The old
citizen, as soon as they were gone, ran out 10
Aut ilOuA gaze iutl lut CdNdlfAs anu IOlu lDGln
that some Yankees had ust run down into
the woods. Go quick and you can catch them
They dashed after our boys; the negro soon
heard shots, and afterward saw the dead bodies
i took the negro 10 Col. Sellridge, COM
mander of the brigade we were with, who
listened TO his tale with great interest and
then sent us with a staff officer to Gen. Geary
who only bad authority to send an expedition
outside OF the picket-lincs. The story of the
dastardly outrage was heard by the stern Gen.
eral with great Indignation, aud he ordered his
Provost Marshal Capt SEYMOUR 10 take &
cavalry escort and go out and
INVESTIGATE THE MATTER.
obtained permission, with two comrades O
the 33d Ind, TO accompany them and represent
the Third Division, as we feared that the muir
dered victims might have been from our com
mand.
We found the house about mile from camp
Capt. Seymour called the old citizen out anC
charged him with the negro's story He ad
mitted the death of the soldiers, but denied al
completely In it; denied that he had told ia,
Wheeler men" that they had been there even
but his wfes story contradicted him. lie saic
that lac had left them unburied SO that we could
bee them; but when Capt. Seymour asked wh,
he did not tell the General about them wheI
he came 10 him Tor protection that afternoon
the old fellow said he forgot IT, Capt s de
der, and ordered him arrested and taken Z,
headquarters.
On the way back we met detail sent TO bur
the bodies, and we returned 10 search for then
with the old man as guide. lt was now dark
aud the detachment lighted their way witt
pine-knot torches. We were conducted int
the woods about quarter of a mile from th
house, and the old man
LED Us TO THE BODIES,
lying about 100 yards apart. They had eacl
been shot from two to four times, and had beer
robbed OF knapsacks, haversacks, guns an,
accouterments and the contents of their peck cts
90 that nothing remained by which we coul,
identify them. They did not wear any corn
badge, so that we could not even tell to wha
division they belonged; but one of my com
panions thought he recognized in one of then
member of his Tegiment-the 33d Ind. Nj
impression is that it was afterward ascertaine
that they were all OF that regiment but am no
sure, aud would like 10 have some comrade VIII
knows tell US through TIE NATIONAL TRII
UNE who they were. Also, can any one te
what was done with the old citizen2 neye
saw him again.
IL was weird. wild scene, that burial {
those three unknown comrades Ina their shallo
graves IN the dark woods by torchlight, aud
will never be e1aced from my memOry.-IiAI
yEY REID, 22d Wis.,, Maquoketa, jackson Co
Iowa.
Why Don't Iou Wriief
oprocure faithful medical opinion ms
whether OF not you eau probably Ice cured wi
cost you nothing IL you write 90 Drs Starkey.